Question

A researcher investigates whether there is a relationship between hours of sleep and memory for photographs by having 40 people sleep in the laboratory and waking 20 of the participants after 4 hours of sleep and the others after 8 hours of sleep. After they are awakened, each participant is asked to study 12 photographs and then recall as many details from the photographs as possible. What is the independent variable in this study?

Answer 1

Answer: Hours of sleep.

Step-by-step explanation:

The independent and dependent variables are the main elements in an experiment. The independent variable is the controlled one, which is modified to measure the effect it has on the dependent variable: the one being measured through that scientific experiment.

In this example, the hours of sleep is the independent variable and the memory for photographs is the dependent variable.